A very detailed account about Elizabeth of York. This is my favourite time in History to write about and Alison Weir is a wonderful writer of historical fiction. I would recommend all of her books, for they are all well researched but gripping reads too. I like how we get to view History through different perspectives which feel authentic.

"Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose" provides readers with a compelling and deeply engaging historical account of a remarkable woman born into royalty yet destined to be a pawn in the intricate game of power politics. This book unravels the story of Elizabeth of York and chronicles her extraordinary journey, from being a mere pawn to becoming the mother of one of the most renowned Kings of England, Henry VIII. We witness the incredible strength, courage, and determination that Elizabeth displayed in navigating a male-dominated and power-driven world.

The narrative brilliantly captures the essence of Elizabeth's life, illustrating the complex web of challenges she faced from the moment of her birth. As the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York was a symbol of unity, an embodiment of hope, and a valuable chess piece in the political landscape of the time. The author does an outstanding job of delving into the intricate dynamics of the War of the Roses and the relentless quest for power that characterized the era.

What truly shines in "Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose" is the portrayal of Elizabeth's character. Her strength, resilience, and determination are brought to life within these pages, and readers will find themselves inspired by her unwavering spirit in the face of adversity. The author's meticulous research and vivid storytelling allow us to step into Elizabeth's world, where she not only overcame adversity but also played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of her nation.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

If you’re interested In Plantagenet or Tudor history then Alison weir is the author you need to pick up and read immediately.
She has the most wonderful skill of making history come to life. The people become alive again and you can feel every emotion.
Thank you so much to the author and publishers for the privilege of this wonderful book

As the eldest daughter of King Edward IV, Elizabeth of York should have had an easy, enjoyable childhood, but instead with the continuing battles for the kingship, she spends many years in hiding, fearing for her life. With many marriages proposed but never coming to fruition, Elizabeth eventually becomes Queen of England, bringing together the Houses of York and Lancaster and hopefully providing peace to the country at last. And that’s just the start of her life!

Once again, Alison Weir has created a fantastic historical tale, bringing all the intrigue, fighting and uncertainty of the time to life. Her depictions of the characters involved, and their motives are detailed and draw the readers into this fascinating time, where fortunes can change in an instant.

One of my favourite periods of history, skilfully brought together into an entertaining story.

I enjoy getting my history from fiction books, as I tend to find historical fact a bit dry. For me, this book fell a bit between two stools. It wasn't bad, but it didn't flow well enough for fiction, and I felt it jumped around and repeated itself. The facts were good, but the ficton around them felt less well imagined, so the story didn't hold together as well as it could have. Not one for me, sorry.

I loved this rather melancholy story of the last Lancastrian princess - Elizabeth of York.
It’s 500 pages of history, with loads of details of what it was like to be a female royal during times of instability and unrest. Even for royalty it wasn’t a great time to be a woman. Only good for one thing: providing the next generation. But Elizabeth bucked that trend somewhat, and Weir makes the case for her having some influence with Henry VII. She was a literate, intelligent woman at a time where women weren’t always well educated. Her duty is always to her country and her family - and she had to play a dangerous game of keeping Richard happy whilst hoping that Henry would succeed. After all, she considers Richard responsible for the deaths of her brothers, one of whom was the true heir to the crown (but will we ever really know what happened to these boys?).

I really enjoyed this. I know from reviews I’ve read that some people believe it’s too long, but I can’t see how it could be made shorter and still make sense! There’s so much happening during Elizabeths lifetime: civil war, chopping and changing kings, backstabbing, family strife, births, deaths, marriages - the lot!

Three generations of royalty are covered wonderfully in this book, and I for one ate it up!

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

I love an Alison Weir book. You know that you'll be getting a book that is well researched and a story that will keep you gripped until the last page.

This is the first in what is going to be an amazing`new series and I look forward to reading more.

As the eldest daughter of The House of York, Elizabeth was always going to be a prize but when her father, King Edward dies, the enemies of the crown being to circle. When her uncle Richard seizes the crown and announces that he will make Elizabeth his Queen, it would appear that her cards have been dealt - but then another man, Henry from The House of Lancaster arrives and says that he is the rightful heir and Elizabeth and England's lives will never be the same.

Alison Weir writes with a historian’s attention to detail and adherence to fact, which she fleshes out with narrative and realistic detail. She gives a voice to lesser known characters in history, telling their stories as historically accurately as possible and creates a narrative that fuses fact & fiction in an easy-to-read way. Whilst the history books tend to focus on the men, she looks to the women, those who survived the battles, maintained the home life, played their part in negotiating marriage alliances and made difficult decisions when families were torn apart.

This story centres around Elizabeth of York, daughter of a King (Edward IV), Sister of a king (Edward V), Wife of a King (Henry VII) and mother of one of the most famous kings to ever have reigned: (Henry VIII).
The book is written in a linear fashion, with clear indication of dates along the way. It is split into 4 parts, each a different era of her life: Childhood, Marriage, Motherhood & her latter years as Queen & Matriarch. Along the way we have lavish royal celebrations, a queen & her children seeking sanctuary, births, deaths, strategic marriages, treason, beheadings, “evil King Richard III”, the possible murder of the “Princes in the Tower” and fire destroying palaces! The clear dates help to anchor the events during this very turbulent time of British history, when several people had equal claims to the throne.
The book opens with a young Princess Elizabeth being woken in the middle of the night by her mother, and taken to Westminster Abbey to seek sanctuary as the Earl of Warwick is rising against her father, King Edward IV. Through Elizabeth’s eyes, as a young child, we see her playing with her sisters whilst slowly gaining an understanding of the politics involved and working out who she can trust. She lives in turbulent times, with her parents always vigilant in case one of the cousins should start another uprising. However she also has a strong sense of her importance, betrothed to the Dauphin of France & often referred to as the Queen of France.
As she approaches her teenage years, the alliance with France doesn’t come to fruition and following her father’s death Elizabeth’s 12 yr old brother becomes king with her Uncle Gloucester appointed as Regent until he is of age. Unfortunately Elizabeth’s two brothers, King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York mysteriously disappear just weeks later (The Princes in the Tower), and “Uncle Gloucester”, better known as King Richard III, announces his intention to claim the throne for himself. Elizabeth is a very valuable “pawn” in the marriage game, and hHaving always been caring & affectionate towards Elizabeth, she is not sure how much she can trust Richard, and he wants to keep his niece close at hand by bringing her to court & seeking a potential marriage that would strengthen his claim. (Though initially he works to declare her illegitimate!). Elizabeth’s mother realises that there could be an opportunity to settle the “throne” by marrying Elizabeth to Henry Tudor, who also has a very strong claim to the throne as the senior male of the Lancastrian line.
Henry eventually is able to raise enough manpower to come to England from his home in France, where he beats Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and becomes king by right of conquest.
Henry and Elizabeth marry, uniting the houses of York & Lancaster.
Elizabeth & Henry are portrayed in the book as having an amicable, and subsequently loving marriage, though not without its challenges as they need to balance frugality with the expectations of maintaining court life (Elizabeth’s mother was banished to a nunnery as the king could not support two queens at court), the loss of several children in infancy and of course they are still dealing with the political situation of the time where anyone with a Plantagenet bloodline is suspected of coveting the throne!
The middle of the book covers family life, the “pretenders” to the throne particularly in Perkin Warbeck, the boy who presents himself as Elizabeth's long lost brother Richard Duke of York. Throughout this period, Elizabeth is portrayed with divided loyalties, desperately wanting her brothers to be alive, but knowing that their reappearance would threaten her own marriage & the future of her own children.
The latter part of the book shows Elizabeth & Henry preparing their teenage son and heir to the throne, Arthur, for his future. The conclusion of an earlier alliance with Spain, which results in the marriage of Arthur to Catalina (Katherine) of Aragon, and the treaty with Scotland for their daughter Margaret Tudor to be married to King James IV of Scotland. The Tudors finally establishing the dynasty that Elizabeth’s mother has always envisaged.
Towards the end of the book, Elizabeth and Henry lose their heir, Arthur shortly after his marriage. Elizabeth falls pregnant once more, but shortly after childbirth, she dies from complications. The book ends with hope for the future as an agreement is made that the widowed Katherine will be married to the new heir, Henry (VIII).


Alison Weir has created a very believable character in Elizabeth – the girl who knew she would one day be a queen is also the sister who never knew what had happened to her brothers; a Queen of England is also a mother who loses several children in infancy.
The author delivers a convincing account of what Elizabeth’s life might have been like, which we see through her own eyes. There is vivid detail and excellent conversation, however it is also rooted in fact, and I found myself regularly diverting off to look up people on the family tree, events or places mentioned – Sheen Palace, Baynard's Castle, Greenwich, Elsyng, Ludlow, Westminster & the Tower of London (as it was then, not now!). Whilst I know quite a lot about Tudor times, when it’s all put together it’s still quite eye opening to discover that drinking the water was dangerous so even very young children drank wine, that medicine invariably involved bloodletting, that travelling from the Tower of London to Westminster was quite an undertaking (now it’s a 40 minute pleasure cruise!), that bringing the doctor from Plymouth to London might be possible in 4 days if they rode hard & had changes of horse at every resting place, and the thought of a pregnant queen travelling to Ludlow was quite preposterous!

I liked that the pain and hardships of Tudor life, the difficult decisions and divided loyalties are given as much focus as the happiness and luxury of being royal. Elizabeth was portrayed constantly as morally strong yet emotionally able to express both love & hurt, supporting her family members when they got into difficulties & always making the best of her situation. I was less keen on the slightly stereotypical portrayal of Richard III, but can see how it can never really be determined what made the previously loyal Richard turned against his own nephew. Was it the constant threat from Elizabeth’s maternal family, the Woodvilles?


I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in the Tudor period, enjoys tv shows by historians like Lucy Worsley, or enjoys this style of fiction-based-on-fact.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in both ebook & audiobook format free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.

My thanks to Headline Review for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose’ by Alison Weir. My apologies for the late feedback.

This is the first in Weir’s new Tudor Rose Trilogy and focuses on the life of Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. She is born into turbulent times as the Houses of Lancaster and York battle for the crown of England. Elizabeth dreams of a crown of her own.

Following the disappearance of her brothers from the Tower and her uncle seizing power as Richard III, there is discussion about seeking a papal dispensation for Richard to wed her. Then comes Bosworth and with the death of Richard, Henry Tudor becomes king. His marriage to Elizabeth successfully unites the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster.

The novel spans Elizabeth’s life from her time as Princess, through marriage and motherhood through to her death aged only thirty-seven.

I appreciated how well Weir set out the complex political climate of the period, including the number of challenges to Henry VII’s throne. In addition, I felt that she did well in fleshing out her characters whether major historical figures or those behind the scenes.

In her Author’s Note Weir writes that this “novel is closely based on the research I undertook for my biography, Elizabeth of York: The First Tudor Queen (2013).” She then clarifies where she utilised dramatic licence to create a better narrative flow.

I will note that Weir’s stance on the fate of the York princes differs from my own. She explains that in “a work of history, it is possible to state that the evidence suggests one theory or another, and to lay out the facts and weigh the arguments. In fiction, you have to decide where you are going with the story. Here, I have offered what I believe to be the most credible explanation of what happened to the Princes.”

Following her Note there is a comprehensive Dramatis Personae, a detailed timeline, and Reading Group Questions.

I know from reading other of her works that Weir holds herself to a high standard of authenticity. As I am myself a stickler for accuracy in historical fiction, I appreciated this. Still, although I feel that her storytelling skills have improved, I continue to feel that Weir is stronger as a writer of royal biographies than of historical fiction.

Having said this, I find her novels very readable even if there aren’t as many creative flourishes as in other works of historical fiction. With Weir I am confident that I can trust her account of events to be faithful to existing sources/research. I feel that they are educational as well as transporting me to another time.

Overall, I found ‘Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose’ an engaging read. I am looking forward to the publication of Book 2, ‘Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown’, in May 2023.

As a History fan, with Alison Weir being on of my favourite authors, I was so excited to be given the chance to read the story of Elizabeth of York.

As always Alison’s work gripped me from the very start, I completely lost myself in this book and recommended it to my fellow history loving friends.
This drew me back in time and kept me hooked throughout. Alison tells a tale known to many, in a way that’s engaging and enjoyable. The research that she has put into this kept me wanting to turn the pages and although it’s a hefty book’, it’s an outstanding read


Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I love this author and was thrilled to read this

loved it

I have loved all of Alison Weir’s historical fiction books and this one does not disappoint!

It reads easily and weaves through historical fact with plausible and credible fictional elements.

A must read for fans of historical fiction!

An interesting book that has you hooked up to the last page.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes ancient history.

The ups and downs in the life of Elizabeth of York, wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII, are told clearly and convincingly in this fictional account. Told from her point of view, this is a well researched and absorbing story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I've found an Alison Weir book I haven't loved, her writing is just fantastic. She immerses you into the historical setting taking all the known facts and sprinkling some of her creativity into what might actually have been said and done surrounding those facts creating a wonderful historical fiction book.
Like any history fan I know about the Yorkiest and the Tudors and I loved knowing historically what was about to happen but equally couldn't wait to see how it unfolded.
Loved every page of it!

Once again Alison Weir has brought to life another princess, Elizabeth of York who dreams of suceeding her father on the throne and weraing a crown herself only to be disapointed when he dies suddenly and her Uncle Richard becomes her brother's guardian. Her destiny is at stake and at once the reader is brought to understand the dangers of her position both from her family, in the role of her Uncle who even suggests an incestous marriage to her and others who seek to make her parents marriage void and declare the children all bastards. Elizabeth is very much to be pitied as a pawn in the game between York and Lanaster and eventually agrees to marriage to Henry tthe Seventh thus uniting both houses. Weir shows her skill in bringing to life the perilous times and the feel of that period of dramatic history, even suggesting possible actions that could have happened during the dark days of strife. A wonderful storyteller who brings Elizabeth of York to life with all the sadness and joys that surrounded her.

I love Alison Weir's non-fiction work, but I really struggled with this. In all honesty it feels like a first draft. The dialogue is stilted, the action is slow. There's a lot of telling not showing. I wanted to love it as I rate her as a writer, and I know the period well. I'll be in the minority...

Once again, Ms Weir has drawn the reader into another world - this time the turbulent ending of the Lancastrian reigns and the beginning of the Tudor era. It was fascinating to read her account of Elizabeth's younger days - the death of her father moving her from adored princess to illegitimate and a target of the 'usurper' king Richard. Her steadfastness waiting for Henry to arrive to save the day, and her efforts to help her own cause showed her to be a strong woman.

And then her marriage to Henry, and the birth of her children who we now know were such key figures, particulary their son Henry. The sad tale of Arthur's short life and marriage - perhaps the author will tackle his story another time! Her repeated pregnancies and the loss of some children, her worry over the apparent deaths of her brothers, never quite knowing what happened, and the fear aroused by the pretenders to the throne - Perkin Warbeck and Lambert Simnel. It is all the tapestry of the history of England, wove into a tight and readable story.

It was interesting how Elizabeth, speaking through the author, kept saying that although her claim to the throne was strong, women could not rule. Her grand daughter Elizabeth would certainly prove her wrong!

A fascinating, interesting and enjoyable book charting a key time in England's history. Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.